Matthew Boling 9.98, 19.92, 44.84 and 8.25 LJ

[Carolina Speed]

Okay. I'm going to play devil's advocate on this one, because it will allow me to put forth some recent thoughts I've had about sprinting.

When Matthew Boling burst onto the sprint scene in his senior of high school, he had been training exclusively as a Long Jumper and 400m runner.
He hadn't run a 100m race since 8th grade or before (?). Yet, that year was his best ever year in 100m/200m.
Last year, Fred Kerley, who had run the 400m his entire career, started competing in the 100m at the age of 26, and took silver at the Tokyo Olympics.
Marcell Jacobs who won the gold medal in 100m, had been a long jumper up until 4 years ago.
Allan Wells, the 100m gold medalist from Scotland, had also been a long jumper before converting to the sprints in his mid-20s (26, I think).
Dafne Schippers was a heptathlete, when she burst onto the sprint scene. (When she began to focus only on the short sprints, within a few seasons her times started to decline.)
Karsten Warholm was a decathlete before focusing on the 400m hurdles exclusively a few seasons ago.

My point is, that 'cross-training' seems like it can be quite beneficial to sprinters.
Perhaps the long jump gives them the explosiveness they need for the short sprints.
And perhaps the 400m gives them the strength to pull away from the other sprinters over the last 10 to 20 meters (as Boling did in high school).

So I am not completely convinced that training for the 400m and Long Jump are necessarily bad for his sprinting. They might give him a strength and explosiveness base for later years. However, training for all 4 events - 100m, 200m, 400m, and LJ - is probably too much.

Agreed jacknyc. I was going to post something similar to what you've stated, but I have just been so busy with work. My son's track coach always told him that to be a great 200m sprinter, you have to run 400M in practice. To be a great 100m sprinter, you must run 200M. So, all the 100M sprinters were required to run 400M/200M sprints in practice.
I'm quite certain that's what made Boling the 100m/200m sprinter he is today was by running those 400M/800M in middle school and HS practice and at the meets.
Also, it's not that anyone is pulling away in the last 30-40 meters in the 100M, it's who can maintain their speed the longest. I believe you reach top speed at the 50/60 meter mark. It's how long you can maintain that top speed before you break down. The 400m gave Boling the strength and stamina to maintain his top speed longer than anyone else in HS.
The thing that hurt him is his start. He never trained for that 100M start. He needs to keep training as a 400M guy in practice and at the same time work on his 100M start. I don't know much, but if I were his coach, I would train him like a 400M sprinter, work heavily on his 100M start and only run the 200m and 60M indoor and 200M/100m outdoors, again train by running lots of 400M in practice. Just my opinion.

 

[white lightning]

I could just as easily argue a guy like Rohan Browning who has a p.b. of 10.01 wind legal and he never runs 200 meters. It's very rare. What about Filippo Tortu who also
rarely runs the 200 meters? I could list many guys. I agree the 200 and 400 meters are great for speed endurance. The long jump may help some with explosiveness but it sure
hasn't helped Boling and his start. The only way to get better is to focus on the shorts sprints and his start and drive phase until he does it like clock work. It won't happen
from running all the relays, doing the long jump, running occasional 400 meter races to go with the 100 & 200 meters. I'm not trying to be too negative here but this guy
is similar to Lemaitre. I think he is even more talented even though he has a long ways to catch Lemaitre's times of 9.92 and 19.80! I'm just gonna be so angry if we see another
one of the few guys with genetics at the top of the bell curve waste his talent away by trying to do everything and win points on stupid long jump competitions when he can be
so much more. We cannot afford to see his talents go to waste. We lost Teeters, Quinn is still to be determined but this kid is better than both of them. I just want to see him
get the right coaching to get to the Olympics and get to the World Championships. He's not gonna do it by being Mr. Everything to win points for Georgia.

 

[white is right]

I could just as easily argue a guy like Rohan Browning who has a p.b. of 10.01 wind legal and he never runs 200 meters. It's very rare. What about Filippo Tortu who also
rarely runs the 100! I could list many guys. I agree the 200 and 400 meters are great for speed endurance. The long jump may help some with explosiveness but it sure
hasn't helped Boling and his start. The only way to get better is to focus on the shorts sprints and his start and drive phase until he does it like clock work. It won't happen
from running all the relays, doing the long jump, running occasional 400 meter races to go with the 100 & 200 meters. I'm not trying to be too negative here but this guy
is similar to Lemaitre. I think he is even more talented even though he has a long ways to catch Lemaitre's times of 9.92 and 19.80! I'm just gonna be so angry if we see another
one of the few guys with genetics at the top of the bell curve waste his talent away by trying to do everything and win points on stupid long jump competitions when he can be
so much more. We cannot afford to see his talents go to waste. We lost Teeters, Quinn is still to be determined but this kid is better than both of them. I just want to see him
get the right coaching to get to the Olympics and get to the World Championships. He's not gonna do it by being Mr. Everything to win points for Georgia.

I would tend to agree that he is becoming a points machine for UGA on the men's team but isn't be developed for anything beyond that. If he can make a national team he should turn pro and have a coach develop him for one event and have something like a minor in another event. Aside from Lewis I don't recall any recent sprint/long jump combo athlete in recent memory that did this at the world level and was a contender in both events.

 

[yuri malenkov]

Thanks White Lightning.

Matt ran a +6.78 60m during his 10.11 100m pb. If he can consistently run a 6.60 or better in the indoor 60m his outdoor would be +6.55 converting to a high 9.8x 100m as it is now. If he has a wind near 2.0m/s and has improved in other phases I can see a low 9.8x this season.

 

[white lightning]

Matt took 4 long jump attempts. He won the event with a 4th round jump of 8.05 This is not what he had hoped. Not since he used all the energy to
make 4 attempts, I wasn't sure what to expect in the 200 meters being that both events were this afternoon. Luckily he impressed in a big way improving
his world leading time to a 20.27 and won with no competition. He is only 8/100ths of his all time indoor p.b. in the 200 meters. Boling still leads the world by a
landslide in the deuce! I wish he would have skipped the long jump and was in the 60 meters tommorow. What you guys have to understand is he has the talent
level of many olympians and all time greats. He needs to work on his weaknesses. This is the TRUTH whether people want to hear it or not. I'm a huge fan and
just don't want him to not have the right coaching staff both now and in the pros! His talent is off the charts!

 

[white lightning]

Here is a slow motion video of the last half of the race. His form looks alot better. I think he is relaxing more. He is still a bit stiff but the form is there which is exciting. When I say he won by a landslide I was being honest. His winning time was .55 over teh 2nd place guy. Thats amazing!

 

[freedom1]

 

[white lightning]

This race broke the All Time Razorback Invitational Indoor 200 meter Record of Wallace Spearmon. The old record was 20.36 so now Boling has another record
all to himself. These races are great but it's the outdoors where the money and fame is. Hoping for those sub 10's and sub 20's this summer!

 

[freedom1]

Interesting, Spearmon had an outdoor PB of 19.65.

 

[mastermulti]

Spearmon was a terrific 200 guy - this bodes well for Matt

 

[white lightning]

Sometimes things happen indoors that don't happen outdoors. Why do I say this? Well let's look at the All Time NCAA Indoors 200 Meters Record Holder
Elijah Hall. He holds the NCAA Indoors 200 meters Record running a 20.02 back in 2018. Hall also ran a 6.52 over 60 that same year. Despite Halls amazing speed
he has never run sub 10 or sub 20 outdoors. He has been close but his personal bests outdoors are 10.04 and 20.11! So how can that be? It's hard to say but
sometimes guys run faster indoors than outdoors even with no wind. Strange but it happens.

Look at Morne Nagel the white south african sprinter. He ran a p.b. in the 60 of 6.48 yet never went sub 10 in his career. It's crazy to be that fast and not
be able to maintain enough speed endurance to go sub 10. Kilty ran 6.48 indoors but topped out at 10.01 outdoors.

The only reason I bring this up is that outdoors is far more important than indoors. I love indoor & outdoor track but outdoors is where the money and
fame is. That's also where you become a household name that every remembers like a Borzov, Lewis, etc, etc. So do I believe Boling can be just as fast outdoors?
Yes I do but he has to back it up this year or next! I believe he will this year barring injuries or bad coaching. They cannot let this kid burn out again. Horrible
coaching he is receiving as far as overracing. You have to limit the amount of events he races as it's a very long season.

 

[jacknyc]

Boling ran the lead-off leg for Georgia on the 4x400m relay.
Impressive time - 45.33.

 

[white lightning]

Boling ran the lead-off leg for Georgia on the 4x400m relay.
Impressive time - 45.33.

Yes it's a fine time indeed but I'm already seeing a repeat of last year with the overracing of Boling. Hopefully I'm wrong and they will not have him
do the relays as the season gets closer to the conference indoor and outdoor championships. Some may say it's only a few relays? That's what people
thought last year when had had over 20 more races than guys like Laird and others. Learn from the past or your bound to repeat it. In my honest opinion,
he should give up the relays, long jump and 400 meters overall unless it's a major championship. Focus on the short sprints period!

 

[Carolina Speed]

It doesn't appear that Boling will be over racing this weekend at The Tiger Paw Invitational. Unless I'm missing something, the only event he's competing in is the 200M. No long jump no 60M or 400. He may compete in the 4x400M, but that's all.
BTW, Cole Beck finished the 60M coming in 6th and it was very close from first all the way to sixth. First place was 6.61, then 6.62- to Becks's 6.66.
Abby Steiner just won her 200M heat at 22.37.
I would like to see Boling run the 60M.

 

[Carolina Speed]

It doesn't appear that Boling will be over racing this weekend at The Tiger Paw Invitational. Unless I'm missing something, the only event he's competing in is the 200M. No long jump no 60M or 400. He may compete in the 4x400M, but that's all.
BTW, Cole Beck finished the 60M coming in 6th and it was very close from first all the way to sixth. First place was 6.61, then 6.62- to Becks's 6.66.
Abby Steiner just won her 200M heat at 22.37.
I would like to see Boling run the 60M.

Steiner breaks the NCAA Indoor 200M record! 22.37.

 

[Carolina Speed]

Boling, a little set back going 20.41 to second place Javonte Harding 20.43. Was hoping to see him get closer to a sub 20.

 

[freedom1]

He is still undefeated this year.

 

[sprintstar]

If I was coaching Boling I would only have him do 60's and 400's indoors..period No 200's no LJ and no 4x400m relays..... but he is the one wanting to do it so the coach lets him as it keeps him employed.

 

[white lightning]

Matthew Boling runs a new p.b. of 6.59 in the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships!

 

[BeyondFedUp]

Matthew Boling runs a new p.b. of 6.59 in the 2022 SEC Indoor Championships!

Excellent! He needed that. It should help his confidence going forward.

 

[white lightning]

Matthew Boling is going to be very busy next weekend. At the NCAA National Indoor Track & Field Championships he is in alot of events.
Four events against the best athletes in the country. Boling is in the 60 meters, 200 meters, long jump and the 4 x 400 meters relay. Good
luck to Matthew. I would love to see him defend his national title in the 200 meters from last year!

http://www.rtspt.com/ncaa/d1indoor22/men_entry.htm

 

[sprintstar]

I dont believe Boling has a shot in the 60 unless he hits low 6.50's but he definitely is the favourite to win the 200m. With all the running and jumping he is going to do I hope he does not get injured....

 

[jacknyc]

Looking at the start lists and the runners' best times this season, it's possible that Boling might not even make the finals of the 60m.
But he's a gamer, so let's see.
I would agree however, that there is little chance of him making the podium if he does make the final. He needs to work on his start.
On the other hand, he should win the 200m and Long Jump.

 

[white lightning]

I predict he wins the long jump easy. I think he will make the final in the 60 but I would be shocked if he was in the top 5 because of his start & drive phase still needing
work. The 200 will be tough. Even though he is the fastest of all the sprinters, Boling has 2 guys capable of beating him. He needs to bring his A Game which I think he will.

 

[white lightning]

Matthew Boling blazes a scorching hot 6.56 in the 60 Meters Semi Finals for a new personal best! Now that is the type of times that he will need to be a
world class sprinter both indoors and outdoors. He is capable of going sub 10 wind legal as long as he stays healthy. Hope his legs can hold up for tommorows finals.
Remember he is in the long jump today, the 60 heat as listed above and the semi finals of the 200 meters as well. Then tommorow he has to wake up, run
the 60 finals, 200 finals, and the 4 x 400 relay if his legs have anything left. Let's Go Matthew Boling. You can do this!